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tv   The Situation Room  CNN  March 25, 2013 2:00pm-4:00pm PDT

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. is it time for the buried lead. that's what we call stories we think aren't getting enough play. the supreme court is taking up a case that could impact anyone who's tried to save a little money on prescription drugs. at issue is a practice called pay to delay. it's when pharmaceutical companies pay the makers of generic drugs to hold off on putting those cheaper drugs on the mark. the ftc says the practice is not only illegal, it hurts consumers but drug companies argue that the system is a way to work around patent disputes. the high court is expected to rule on the issue this summer. we're just starting our second week and we want to hear from you. how's my driving? let us know what you like, what we need to work on.
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e-mail us at the lead@cnn.com. hash tag you're it. earlier we asked you to come up with a title for jim carrey's next anti-gun song. may i present your efforts. lemony snikts, a series of unfortunately box office bombs. and the eternal arrogance of the liberal mind. i guess some conservative entrance. that does it for "the lead" today. join us every day this week at 4:00 p.m. eastern. i'll turn you over to it kate bold juan who's ataking over for wolf blitzer in "the situation room" 0. a quicker trigger own north korea. the u.s. military gets new rules for responding to tacks. and a world-famous comic and the world's richest mayor raise the stakes in the battle over gun control. she's quick to criticize when it comes to spending, but
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now congresswoman michele bachma bachmann's campaign faces an ethics investigation. wolf blitzer is off today. i'm kate bolduan, you're in "the situation room." we begin at the pentagon, giving a quicker trigger responding to violent provocations from north korea. with tensions already very high, does this raise the risk for americans? a very important question. cnn pentagon correspondent chris lawrence has all the details on this this evening. so, chris, what are the details of this agreement between the u.s. and south creigh korea? >> kate, bottom line, what this does is formalizes that the u.s. and south korea are going to have a joint response to north korean provocations. so that means that the u.s. will be involved right from the get-go, even short of all-out war. north korea is suspected of tore
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peas yoeing a south korean warship in 2010, killing sailors, also shelled a border island and killed civilians. now, because of a new agreement with south korea, similar attacks could bring the u.s. military and nearly 30,000 americans into the fight. >> it's lowering the bar in that it raises the possibility of a new kind of conflict on the korean peninsula. >> reporter: new meaning a limited, localized fight. the u.s. has always been obligated to help south korea in an all-out war. but this agreement formalizes a joint response to even small-scale attacks. a defense official says examples include the north sending ships into south korean waters, flying fighter jets into restricted airspace or shelling those islands like it did three years ago. the official says south korea would still conduct any initial
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response. >> the problem comes if north korea then retaliates in turn and you have a spiral of escalation. there is the possibility, hypothetically, that things could get so serious that we would become involved. >> retired general walter sharp commanded u.s. forces korea when the talks started on this new agreement. >> there's been a lot of work done between the republican of korea and the united states on provocation responses, what should we do if north korea does another kinetic attack? >> sharp says there's been intense planning to the right response to north korea's next provocation. >> that holds something at risk for kim jung unso he'll thing twice before another attack. >> in fact, north korea's leader kim jong-un recently threatened to wipe out south korean units on another border island.
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a defense official i spoke with said, look, they normally don't even talk about agreements like this. the fact that they are shoud be taken as a direct message to north korea. kate? >> sure hope it acts as a deterrent because you know that's what they're hoping for. chris lawrence, thanks so much. now to the fight over gun control, which is raging here in washington, as well as outside the nation's capital. both sides are pulling out all the stops. on the one hand, a world-famous comedian and the world's richest mayor on the other, one of america's most powerful lobbies which is now being criticized for making its pitch even to residents of a town hit so hard by a recent school massacre. cnn's tom foreman has been look noog this. tom, it goes without saying that passions are so high on this issue, they have always been. but what is the latest? they are really going all-out here. >> they really are. what you're seeing right now is big money and big names and big political power really pushing to get something done here. but that's in part because many
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of them are fearing that gun control legislation, which they thought might easily pass a couple of months ago, now seems in jeopardy. ♪ it takes a cold dead hand to decide to pull the trigger ♪ ♪ takes a cold dead heart and as near as i can figure ♪ >> comedian jim carrey is on funny or die ridiculed the late actor charlton heston, a gun rights supporter and nra official. ♪ cold dead hand ♪ cold dead hand >> while on a more serious front, new york mayor michael bloomberg is storming after the issue, going on nbc's "meet the press" to point out polls favor gun reform. >> i don't think there's ever been an issue where the public has spoken so clearly where congress hasn't eventually understood and done the right thing. >> bloomberg is pumping $12 million from his own fortune into ads in 13 states, pushing senators to make background
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checks on all gun sales the law. national rifle association boss wayne law peer is hitting back hard, pointing out the mayor's recent failed plan to limit sugary sodas in his own city. >> they don't want him telling what food to eat. surely they don't want him telling them what firearms to buy. >> but the assaults on the gun lobby are coming from many fronts. in newtown, connecticut, where the school massacre took place, some families are complaining they received nra robocalls like this one posted on the huffington post web site. >> your state senator will play a key role in determining whether the connecticut general assembly will pass legislation restricting your gun rights. >> and president obama is weighing in, too, using his weekly radio address to push a ban on assault weapons, a limit on the size of ammunition magazines, and stepped-up background checks. >> they're supported by a majority of the american people, and i urge the senate and the
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house to give each of them a vote. >> still, the chief reason we're seeing so much activity right now is that gun control measures appear to be in legislative trouble. senate majority leader harry reid has frankly admitted he doesn't have the votes for a assault weapons ban and support for other legislation also appears shaky. >> it only has been three months since the newtown massacre. i mean, there was so much political support and really a rallying cry after that for stricter gun control measures. why does the political support seem so shaky right now, i guess is the question. >> well, there's two reasons. one is that time has passed. the polls have eroded somewhat. they're still generally in favor of the gun control people, depending on the poll, but not as strongly in favor. also the purpose of purple states. the simple truth is there are lawmakers who come from states where support is not nearly as strong as it is in other places, and they don't want to lose their jobs next year by making a stand on this issue right now,
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particularly on the more controversial parts. >> and they have to listen to the voters who put them in office as well. >> we'll see how it goes. >> tom foreman, thanks so much. to the white house now where president obama is using the swearing in of new citizens to press for quick action on immigration reform. let's turn to cnn white house correspondent brianna keilar for more on this. what's the latest? >> reporter: hi there, kate. 28 people became u.s. citizens here at the white house today. that included many members of the active military, and president obama used this as a backdrop to yet again push for congress to act. >> the time's come for a comprehensive, sensible immigration reform. we are making progress, but we've got to finish the job. because this issue is not new. everyone pretty much knows what's broken. everybody knows how to fix it. we just got to at this point work up the political courage to do what's required to be done.
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>> reporter: this comes on the heels of progress on a bipartisan immigration reform bill on capitol hill, the bipartisan democratic and republican senators' gang of eight, the so-called gang of 8, have gotten quite far, kate,s on their negotiations. so far on the path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, they're working out details on that, but that's pretty much worked out. the parameters for securing the border are pretty worked out. a guest worker program would allow non-u.s. citizens to work legally in the u.s. is still to be determined. but the white house says, kate, they're pretty encouraged by what they're seeing on the hill. >> you hear them sounding encouraged as you just said, but the question is, do they see progress, but when do we see movement? when do you expect the senate and house to take up the issue? >> reporter: we're expecting this to heat up. we heard from democratic senator chuck schumer who is a member of that gang of 8 a. he says he's expecting a deal in that group by the end of the weekend. he says legislation is being written, and he's expecting that
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the senate judiciary committee is going to take up the bill, start going through that process called the markup, where they sort of go through line by line, kate, in that bill. the question really here is the house because whatever would pass the senate, which is democratic led, is unlikely to get a ton of republican support in the house. s so the question is, would john boehner put something on the floor that wouldn't get all that republican support? still to be seen. >> another busy session ahead once congress gets back into town. thanks so much, brianna. secretary of state john kerry hit the ground running and sure has not stopped since. he made a surprise visit to afghanistan today and met with president hamid karzai as a u.s.-run prison was handed over to the afghans. over the weekend, kerry was in iraq looking for help in stopping iranian arms shipment to syria. before that, he joined president obama on a trip to israel, the west bank and jordan.
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up next, congresswoman michele bachmann is quick to criticize spending by political rivals but now her own campaign faces an aethics investigation. also, after featuring an anti-american memorial in vietnam during "the amazing race," cbs is apologizing to american veterans. ew 15 under $! oh my goodness... oh my gosh, this looks amazing... [ male announcer ] 15 entrees under $15! it's our new maine stays! seafood, chicken, and more! ooh! the tilapia with roasted vegetables. i'm actually looking at the wood grilled chicken with portobello wine sauce. that pork chop was great. no more fast food friday's. we're going to go to red lobster... [ male announcer ] come try our new menu and sea food differently. and introducing 7 lunch choices for just $7.99! salad, sandwiches and more. carrots. yes. celery. cool. chicken wings. it's actually very good. crackers... delicious. sabra hummus. dip life to the fullest.
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context for our viewers a little bit. you broke this story for the daily beast. put this in context. what is this investigation? and what does it mean for michele bachmann? >> absolutely, kate. well, the office of congressional ethics an independent nonpartisan group is looking into potential campaign violations by michele bachmann's presidential campaign. remember a year and a half ago she won the iowa straw poll, then face-plant comes. there are five separate investigations into alleged actions by her senior staff. now the congressional ethics office is stepping in. so this is serious, and they're going around the country interviewing former staffers asking them about under the table payments and aimproper fund transfers. this could get very serious. right now the focus is on what michele bachmann knew and when did she know it. >> bachmann's attorney released a statement and the attorney really seems to be downplaying her role in this and the investigation. i'll put it up for our viewers.
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her attorney, william mcgwynnly, total us in a statement, there are no allegations that the congresswoman engaged in any wrong doing. we are constructively engaged with the office of congressional ethics, the investigating committee you are talking about, and are confident that at the end of their review the oce board will conclude that congresswoman bachmann did not do anything inappropriate. so what do you make of that? >> well, michele bachmann's lawyering up, and lawyers speak in legalese. what that says is trying to distance michele bachmann from the investigation, which is right now focused on two specific senior members of her campaign staff. that is true. the sources i've spoken to say the inquiry is focused on two senior members of the staff. but the key question, again, as always seems to be the case in political scandals, what did she know and when did she know 0 it? tone comes from the top in presidential campaigns. there's a lot of troubling questions. >> and to be clear -- and this
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gets a little nitty-gritty -- the office of congressional ethics is kind of the committee investigation before the committee investigation. it's separate from the house ethics committee. they'll make a recommendation if they think is's serious enough if it a cease review should be made of the allegations, right? >> that's right. but they're in the secondary stage where they've decided it's serious enough to dispatch investigators around the country to speak to her former campaign staffers. so we're beyond the preliminary stage. they're it in the fact-had finding stage right now. then they refer it to the house ijs committee. this is similar to what happened to charlie rangel. >> we know how long those investigations by the house ethics committee can drag on once they do if they do begin. john avalon, see you soon. coming up in "the situation room," it may be spring, but in many parts of the country you probably cannot toell. take a look at that, details on a powerful storm packing a heavy, heavy dose of winter
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weather will. then there's this, a wild brawl on the nascar track. just ahead, find out 0 what's behind all that punching. ♪ [ watch ticking ] [ engine revs ] come in. ♪ got the coffee. that was fast. we're outta here. ♪ [ engine revs ] ♪ that your mouth is under attack, from food particles and bacteria. try fixodent. it helps create a food seal defense for a clean mouth and kills bacteria for fresh breath.
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united nations is withdrawing half of its roughly 100 international staff members from syria. alisa sylvester is monitoring that and many other stories in "the situation room". >> a u.s. spokesman is saying this is being done solely for security reasons after a number of mortar shells reigned down the hotel housing u.n. staff. most employees are being temporarily relocated to buy route and cairo.
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the move comes as violence rages across the region. a top rebel was wounded and dozens of new deaths being reported just today. it was a sour day on wall street with stocks closing lower amid worries a bailout deal struck in cyprus could set a precedent for other debt-strapped eurozone nations. the s&p, dow can jones and nasdaq all ended down. cyprus struck a deal with european negotiators earlier today, which means big losses at account holders at bankses. it may be spring, but, oh, boy, many parts of the country, including right here in washington, are getting a heavy dose of winter. a powerful storm is packing in some cases historic amounts of snow and blustery winds across the midwest, mid-atlantic, and southern states. winter storm warnings were posted today from new jersey down to north carolina and tennessee, prompting hundreds of flight cancellations and delays. and serious fireworks on the nascar track ott sunday's auto
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club 500 in california. first a dramatic wreck involving rivals joey logano and danny hamlin. hamlin's car crashed hard but he's said to be okay. and then this. more trouble for logano when another rival, tony stewart, came after him, punches were thrown and the two had to be separated. stewart was apparently angry about a maneuver on the track, he said. i don't think we see that every day. i mean -- >> i was going to say, i know less about nascar than most, but i just don't think that's asupposed to happen. >> yeah. you see sometimes brawls in other sports, i'm thinking hockey, but not so much on the racetrack. usually they're in the cars. >> also, isn't that sport dangerous enough? do you also have to be worried about somebody attacking you on the track? anyway, keep it clean, people. thanks so much, lease 0 sa. much more ahead in "the situation room," including this. a cousin of chief justice john roberts will be a very interested observer when the supreme court takes up same-sex marriage. this week, we'll tell you why. also, contestants in "the
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amazing raigs" looked for clues near a downed u.s. bomber in hanoi. now cbs is apologizing to american veterans. that's coming up. [ female announcer ] what if the next big thing, isn't a thing at all? it's lots of things. all waking up. connecting to the global phenomenon we call the internet of everything. ♪ it's going to be amazing. and exciting. and maybe, most remarkably, not that far away. we're going to wake the world up. and watch, with eyes wide, as it gets to work. cisco.
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you're in "the situation room." happening now -- the lesbian cousin of chief justice john roberts gets a rare chance to see history in the making when a landmark battle over same-sex marriage reaches the supreme court. and senator john mccain tweets about a controversial episode of the hit tv show "the amazing race" filmed in vietnam. and he's one iconic designer who has never designed for first lady michelle obama. what oscar de la renta is now saying about a relationship that, quote, started off poorly. wolf blitzer is off today.
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i'm kate bolduan. you're in "the situation room." it is a huge week for anyone with a stake on either side of the same-sex marriage debate. and a lesbian cousin of chief justice john roberts, seen here, is among those who will be watching closely as the supreme court hears arguments on two major cases. cnn crime and justice correspondent joe johns has details. >> reporter: they're waiting to witness history. >> as a gay american i think it's very important to be a part of history. >> reporter: scores of people standing in line since last thursday, dealing with snow from sunday to monday, all in hopes of grabbing one of 250 or so seats available for the general public when the supreme court takes up same-sex marriage this week. >> it takes dedication to be out here. >> reporter: also expected in the audience on wednesday as a guest of the court, jean padraski and her partner.
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jean is a lesbian cousin of chief justice john roberts. i team confident that john is wise enough to see that society is becoming more accepting of the humanity of same-sex couples and the simple truth that we deserve to be treated with dignity, respect and equalitity under the law. how much roberts' personal relationships may affect his decision on same-sex marriage is an open question. paul smith has some insight. he's an openly gay attorney who argued one of the landmark cases involving gay rights, striking down laws banning sexual relations between same-sex couples. before that, he was also a clerk for justice lewis powell. >> i think it has some impact on people to know family members and friends who are out and gay and happy and functioning in society. on the other hand, it's not by any means going to be a good prigtor. >> reporter: we'll find out starting tuesday when the court hears the challenge to problem decision 8, california's asame-sex marriage ban. that challenge is brought by
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california couples including jeff and paul who say they have a right to marry just like heterosexual couples and the state's domestic partnership laws aren't good enough. >> the term "marriage" is important. it has global recognition. no one celebrates a domestic partnership-versary. they celebrate an an aversery of marriage. >> that was joe johns reporting. and we'll tell you a strange legal alliance will argue tomorrow that california's proposition 8, one of the cases before the court, will argue it's unconstitutional, former bush solicitor general ted olsen a conservative is teaming up with high-profile liberal lawyer david boy. cnn chief political analyst gloria borger has been talking to both of these men. gloria, i find this fascinating, this relationship and how it's evolved over time. >> it is. >> how did it come together? >> the way the whole case has evolved is sort of a script that could have been written in hollywood. >> right. >> because in many ways it
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actually was written in hollywood. it was november 2008. barack obama had just won the white house. >> there's nothing civil about a man marrying another man! >> but proposition 8 passed, taking away the right for gays and lesbians to marry in california. >> california has made it very clear. >> we're sitting there, you know, kind of licking the wounds and saying, what do we do now 0? and serendipitously, a friend of my wife's came by the table and she says, i think you'd be very interested to find out that you might find an ally in ted olsen on your issue. >> that's the ted olsen, the conservative legal icon. >> that stunned you, right? >> yes. it more than stunned me. it stunned me, but i said, if this is true, this is the home run of all time. i mean, the idea that ted olsen, this arch conservative, the
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solicitor general for george bush who had argued bush v gore and basically put me in bed for a couple of days i was so depressed after bush v gore was interested in gay rights, i thought, let's check it out. >> but didn't you have any doubts about ted olsen? >> you know, they say that politics makes strange bedfellows. well, you don't have a stranger bedfellow than me and ted olsen. >> i was skeptical, absolutely. >> gay rights activist chad griffin was at lunch with reiner that day and volunteered to make that first call to olsen to check him out. >> much to my surprise, it was an issue that he had clearly thought a lot about. but the moment i hung up the phone i realized that there was a chance i was talking to someone who overnight could become the most important, significant advocate for marriage equality that this movement has ever seen.
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>> and, kate, you know, after that, ted olsen decided to take the case. then he picked up the phone and he called david boyz, the liberal lawyer he had defeated in bush v gore with whom he had become really good friends after that court case and said to him, david, will you argue alongside, with me on this case? and it took him about a nanosecond for him to say, sure, i'm on board, and now the two of them have really taken this for the past few years all the way up to the supreme court. they've won in the courts in california. >> right. >> and now they're defending their case. >> and, you know, people might find it strange that these two men could come together, but i've heard over and over again that people who argue on opposite sides of a case before the supreme court, they disagree with each other on the legal issue, but they absolutely respect each other because they're the only two people who know how hard it is. >> well, that's interesting, kate, because that's exactly what david boyce said. he said, during bush v gore, my
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family got sick of me, everybody is sick of me. all i can think about, as you know, these lawyers have these tunnel vision. the only person who understood what i had been going through was ted olsen. >> and ted olsen has taken a lot of heat. >> he has. >> from conservatives, not surprisingly, amongst conservatives. what was his reaction been to the criticism that he's faced? >> he's been off the ra si ae'sl though less and less as he keeps winning in california. his point is, look, this is a constitutional issue, this isn't a democratic/republican, liberal/conservative. they believe gays and lesbians should be allowed the right to marry because it's guaranteed in the equal protection clause of the constitution, period. no matter how many states have voted to ban it. that's the case he'll be making tomorrow. >> and we've been obviously tracking public opinion polls on this issue for years. >> yes. >> and right now there's more public support nationally for same-sex marriage than ever
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before. how do you think that, public opinion, can affect these arguments? >> well, again, you spoke earlier about how having a member of your family or a friend or someone you know who's gay can affect you, well, public opinion polls can do the same thing, even to the sitting supreme court justices. more than half of the country now supports same-sex marriage, but -- so when you talk to the lawyers who are opposing olsen and boiz and against same-sex marriage, they say, you know, public opinion is shifting. nine states plus the district of columbia now allows gay marriage. that's why the supreme court ought to let it play out in the states and not shove this decision down people's throats. on the other side, david boyz and ted olsen says, if the court decides in our favor, maybe they'll think it's not such a cataclysm if they decide in our favor and that they won't be doing too much of a heavy lift here. so, you know, each side makes the argument that this could affect them positively.
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>> each side is very good at making their argue amentes. >> they're lawyers, that's for sure. >> it's very unclear at the moment exactly how the supreme court will thread that needle. nonetheless, very important day. >> there are lots of ways to thread the needle. >> many. we'll be watching tomorrow. great piece. looking forward to your special coming up on that. >> saturday night 7:30. >> we'll be watching, gloria. thanks so much. on this issue still, democratic senator claire mccaskill of missouri announced he support for same-sex marriage today joining names on both sides of the aisle who endorse the rights for 0 gays and lesbians to wed. she writes, i have come to the conclusion that our government should not limit the right to marry based on who you love. still ahead -- outrage over an episode of "the amazing race" filmed near the wreckage of an american b-52 bomber. when we come back, one of the survivors of that crash explains why, and he is one iconic name not in the first lady's closet.
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so does oscar de la renta have a acase of sour grapes? find out now what he's saying about michelle obama's fashion. connecting to the global phenomenon we call the internet of everything. case of sour grapes? find out now what he's saying about michelle obama's fashion. it's going to be amazing. and exciting. and maybe, most remarkably, not that far away. we're going to wake the world up. and watch, with eyes wide, as it gets to work. cisco. tomorrow starts here. cisco. great first gig! let's go! party! awwwww... arigato! we are outta here! party...... finding you the perfect place, every step of the way.
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this is a double u-turn where two teams have the opportunity to slow down two other teams, forcing them to perform both sides of the detour. in this case, any team that u-turns another will remain anonymous. >> outrage over an episode of the hit tv show "the amazing race" filmed near the wreckage of an american b-52 bomber in
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vietnam. our brian todd spoke with one of the men on that plane when it was shot down, and he's joining me now in "the situation room." brian, what did he tell you? it's fascinating you were able to get in touch with him. >> it is, he was a tail gunner aabored that same b-52 depicted in the show, the wreckage of jim cook's plane was shown and many triflized by cbs. this is called to attention the wounds for that generation of veterans, many wounds that haven't been healed. the amazing race has contestants chasing clues around hanoi, vietnam. at one point, they're guided to a marker. >> here? >> wait, wait, wait. oh, there's the u-turn board. >> on screen there's text, b-52 memorial, the wreckage of a plane. all in the name of fun tv gamesmanship. right? not to jim cook. that memorial in hanoi glorifies the downing of his plane, an american b-52 bomber that was
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shot down in hanoi the day after christmas 1972. two of cook's crew mates were killed. cook was the only one who didn't eject. he was blown out the back on impact, had both legs shattered below the knee, a broken back, shoulder and elbow, spent a month and a half at the notorious north vietnamese prison the hanoi hilton. this is a picture of him in a motorcycle sidecar being taken to the prison. he says he didn't see the episode of "the amazing race," didn't even know about the memorial in hanoi. but he says this -- >> really it's kind of in poor taste, to me, the fact that lives were lost in that aircraft coming down. other crew members sustained injuries, were incarcerated, and the fact that there are other prominent locations in the city that they could have used for the race. >> vietnam veterans groups were
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outraged when the episode was shown. the network has offered a full apology. just before its latest broadcast of the show sunday night, running a billboard saying parts of the episode were insensitive to a group very important to us our nation's veterans. cbs points out it's done a lot of work on behalf of veterans. joe davis, spokesman for the veterans of foreign wars, says he doesn't believe the show's producers have much of an institutional knowledge of vietnam. >> so the history of vietnam for us is ten years pretty much of pain and a lot of frustration and a lot of anger of not being able to get the job done as the military knew how to do the job. i don't think the producer saw it that way. i think the producer saw this as, hey, it lock, it's an old downed b-52. >> i called and e-mailed various spokesmen for cbs asking about that. was it a case that the producers possibly of a younger generation
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simply didn't know the significance of that memorial? did they know and just not think it would offend anyone? a spokesman said they wouldn't have any further comment beyond the apology. >> the veterans groups, most of them anyway, including veterans like well-known veterans john mccain, they seem satisfied with the apology they've received from cbs, right? >> they do. at least two veterans groups and senator mccain does. the vfw sent a letter back to cbs thanking them for the apology, the american legion sent out a letter saying it applauds cbs for doing that. aas you mentioned john mccain, who was also shot down over hanoi, also spent time at the hanoi hilton, he tweeted today saying cbs did the right thing by apologizing. we all make mistakes. the issue is closed. but clearly a lot of vietnam vets out there of mccain's generation, it's still very fresh for all of them. >> very fresh. of and i think a very good move by cbs to quickly apologize. john mccain puts it pretty well. >> right. >> great work, thanks brian. amazing story.
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still ahead -- vice president joe biden says, quote, there is no leadership in the gop. so what about that so-called white house charm offensive we've seen so much recently? also, fashion icon oscar de la renta has some candid word for what he says is a relationship with the first lady that, quote, started off poorly. get the new it card at discover.com and sign up for 5% cashback at restaurants now through march. and every day since, two years ago, the people of bp made a commitment to the gulf. we've worked hard to keep it. bp has paid over twenty-three billion dollars to help people and businesses who were affected,
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and to cover cleanup costs. today, the beaches and gulf are open for everyone to enjoy -- and many areas are reporting their best tourism seasons in years. we've shared what we've learned with governments and across the industry so we can all produce energy more safely. i want you to know, there's another commitment bp takes just as seriously: our commitment to america. bp supports nearly two-hundred-fifty thousand jobs in communities across the country. we hired three thousand people just last year. bp invests more in america than in any other country. in fact, over the last five years, no other energy company has invested more in the us than bp. we're working to fuel america for generations to come. today, our commitment to the gulf, and to america, has never been stronger.
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some surprising comments about same-sex marriage from one of the leading voices, a leading voice, in the republican party. joining us now to talk about that and much, much more in our strategy session, two cnn contributors, democratic
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strategist paul begala and anna navarro. first, guys, i want to start with these comments that really raised eyebrows over the weekend. republican separate gist conservative karl rove saying surprising stuff about same-sex marriage on abc's "this week." listen. >> karl rove, can you imagine the next republican presidential candidate saying flat-out, i am for gay marriage? >> i could. >> it cuts off that quickly because he quickly tries to make a left turn to kind of get off the subtd, anna. but, anna, what do you make of this? you made some news this weekend on our own show "state of the union" 0 when you said on this issue the genie isn't going back in the bottle. what do you think that karl rove is acknowledging this? it. >> well, i think it, like me, he might be optimistic that's the case, that we don't have this play a large role in the primary. but i've got to tell you, kate, i think it might be possible that the question is no longer relevant. nobody asks in a primary or in a
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political race anymore, are you for or against it interracial marriage? it's no longer a relevant question. and i think the shift on this one issue is growing, increasing the approval so exponentially that by the time 2016 rolls around it may not have the relevan relevancy we see it now. i think the same thing will be true for immigration. the problem may be solved may h republican primary as far as topics than in 2012. >> what do you think, do you agree with anna, same-sex marriage is going to be a non-issue in the republican primary come 2016? >> i don't. first off, it is anna's party, she's probably more right than i am on these things, i'm just speculating. if i'm going to watch a republican analyst, it's going to be anna, not carl rove. candy's guest was way better, she won the booking war
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yesterday. here's the problem, in our latest poll, cnn poll, only 25% of republicans support same-sex marriage. that kind of a gap is a huge problem for the republican party. the vast majority of republicans oppose it. that's a wedge. so far, there's only one republican in the senate, rob portman, who like 15 minutes ago endorsed it. heartfelt statement, and i admire that, but that's it. one republican in the united states senate and that's it. the republicans have a long way to go on this, and particularly people like rove. anna has never played a role in the kind of prejudice and bigotry that others in the republican party have pushed against gays, but there are others, mr. rove, who have shamelessly played the prejudice towards gay americans and now pretend it's going to be over tomorrow is fantasy. >> anna, do you want to jump in? >> well, you know, just to tell you how far this issue has gone,
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ken melman, part of the bush campaign where gay marriage was a wedge issue, where it was a relevant issue, is now one of the lead voices in the republican party pushing for freedom to marry for equality. you know, what i'm sensing in the republican party, and i talk to a lot of congressmen and senators, is that the tone and the way that we are talk about gay marriage has changed tremendously. even in the last six months, people know it's no longer politically liable to go out and rant and rave about gay marriage. they understand there's no standing right now, and there will be even less than in three years to go out and judge people. there will always be one or two candidates, but they are not going to be viable and be the republican nominee.
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>> ana, do you think this is the issue, there's so much soul searching going on in the republican party right now, is this an issue of old guard versus new guard, or is this not an issue that's going to be split that way? >> i think it's generational for the entire nation, not just the republican party. we have more older people, more older republicans than the democrats have. the democrats have more young people. one of the things republicans understand is we want to attract more young people. so, you know, i think what you see in the republican party is a microcosm of what's going on in the nation as a whole. and though the, you know, it's true that the number of republicans who approve of gay marriage right now is 25%, it's a lot higher than it was five years ago. and i assure you that in three years it's going to be higher still and it's going to be higher in the nation. so, this issue's here, this issue's been decided. the political debate is over, folks. read the memo in your inbox. it's time to get over it.
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the gay marriage issue is done with. >> do you think if republicans take this issue off the table, is that a concern for democrats, then, in terms of getting the votes? >> it's great. sure, i'm a democrat, but i'm an american first. our constitution plainly requires the equal protection. i as a straight guy ought to have the same right to get married as a gay guy. i think that's more important. i hope they listen to ana, i do, but as an analyst, i have to point out, the guy who came in second in the republican nomination for presidency, rick santorum, compared gay people to something he called man on dog, which is repulsive and bigoted. >> definitely have to follow up more on this issue, much more on this tomorrow as the supreme court takes up this issue, as well as the day after that. ana, paul, thank you. >> thank you. he's dressed a number of first ladies in his career, but not michelle obama. what oscar --
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world, oscar de la renta, has never dressed her. our lisa sylvester has details. >> reporter: what first lady michelle obama wears is a statement in herself. her arm-bearing dresses, popular use of j. crew everyday fashions and dresses of up and coming designers. >> michelle obama honestly inspires me to work out my arms because she has such a great body. she is a role model for a lot of women who look up to her. >> she's always dressed very classy. >> reporter: one iconic name that's not in the first lady's closet, oscar de la renta. his fashions have been worn by first ladies, including nancy reagan, hillary clinton, and laura bush. when he was asked in mexico city over the weekend why michelle obama hasn't worn his work, he answered candidly, blaming himself for saying stupid things. >> a relation that started off poorly, well, i don't think will end any differently. >> reporter: in 2009, oscar de la renta criticized mrs. obama for wearing a cardigan when she
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went to buckingham palace, heeds on more criticism when she wore this dress for alexander mcqueen, a european designer for a state dinner. oscar de la renta did have high praise for the first lady, calling her an extraordinary woman and says she represents her country well. but just as quickly as he praised her, he also seemed to entangle himself in yards of controversy by suggesting the first lady wasn't quite the fashion trend setter everyone thinks, instead it's the everyday woman who sets the fashion tone. >> translator: i've found an anonymous woman walking down the street is a woman who influences fashion today, not a movie star, first lady, or another personality like that. >> reporter: celebrity stylist robert verdi dismisses oscar de la renta's comments saying this is a case of sour grapes and says michelle obama's fashion choices shows she is the average woman de la renta speaks of. >> women on the street are
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inspiring, but only to the other women that pass them by and see them. michelle obama has a captive audience because she's in the media, we see her everywhere, on the news every day, we get to actually see what she's wearing, take a peek in her closet. >> and we reached out to oscar de la renta for comment and the first lady's office, neither has gotten back to us, but the first lady has been asked in the past about some of the comments the designer has made and said women should just wear what they love. of course, she would rather talk about something else a little more of substance, like military families and getting kids to eat healthier. kate? >> all important topics, but people do like to talk about her fashion. fashion. lisa, thanks so much. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com happening now, families in pain over the killing of colorado's prison chief. stand by for the emotional words of his widow and the mother of his apparent killer. conflicting reports about chemical wells used in syria. has president obama's red line
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been crossed or not? the house intelligence committee joins us live. and the most successful team you've never heard of, as march madness gets even crazier. wolf blitzer is off, i'm joe john. >> i'm kate baldwin, welcome to our viewers in the united states and around the world. you're in "the situation room." confirmation today that the gun used to kill colorado's prison chief is the same gun found on the prime suspect who was killed in a shootout with texas police. >> today, an emotional memorial service was held for the victim, tom clements. we got a window into his life, his family's grief, and the pain being felt by the parents of his apparent killer. cnn's casey wine is in colorado springs for us and has been following this emotional, emotional memorial. hey, casey. >> reporter: hey, kate, joe, you know, it's a tragic irony in the
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death of tom clements. it became clear during the memorial today that he was likely killed by the very type of inmate he spent his career trying to help. slain colorado prison director tom clements was remembered as a man committed to improving conditions for inmates by his pastor -- >> tom clements was a man worthy of honor, both in life and in death. >> reporter: his wife -- >> last tuesday night, tom and i were watching tv and our doorbell rang. and my life was forever changed. >> reporter: his boss -- >> he was, without question, one of the finest people i've ever worked with in anything i've ever done. he believed that colorado could be a model for the entire nation in how to reform our approach to
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corrections. >> reporter: hickenlooper says he believes the killing was solely the work of 211 crew gang member evan ebel. >> evan ebel had an anger and a cruelty. i mean, he just had a bad streak. they tried everything. again and again from an early, early age with no great success. >> reporter: reverend leon kelly works with prison gangs, including former 211 crew members. >> in my theory, this kid here, who may have tried to find a sense of identity throughout, you know, the course of his life, unfortunate evil sense of way he found it. >> reporter: saturday, ebel's father said, i am profoundly saddened by the recent events involving my son, evan ebel, and offer my most sincere condolences to individuals and families who have suffered from his actions.
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ebel's mother wrote the death of his younger sister in a car crash was a turning point for her son. he became numb and lost his direction altogether, between using drugs and committing crimes, he was put in prison for eight long years. she added years of solitary definement took the toll. yet now he's suspected of killing tom clements, a champion of reducing solitary confinement for prisoners. >> he would want justice, certainly, but moreover, he would want forgiveness. our family prays for the family of the man who took tom's life. >> reporter: should also point out that ebel's also suspected prime suspect in taking the life of nate leon, a part-time dominos deliveryman.
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>> thanks for that. we're joined by jeff krairm, the spokesman for the el paso county sheriff's office. i want to start out with what was reported there, the governor, governor hickenlooper, has said in his view there was only one person involved in this. do you think there was a conspiracy or just one guy? >> well, at this point, those are some of the questions our investigators are working very hard to answer. it's appropriate for us at this point to make sure we gather all information from all sources to determine whether or not mr. ebel had acted alone or if others were involved, and if others were, what their role was and what mr. ebel's role was, if he was joined by others. >> mr. ebel was said to be formerly involved in a white supremacist group. do you think that played into the investigation or has it been ruled out? >> nothing has been ruled out. obviously, when you have a suspect that's been named, you
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certainly do the best you can to learn about them, who they associated with, and in this case, who he associated with inside the prison, as well as outside. we haven't ruled anything out, and we're certainly searching for those kinds of answers as far as what the motive was in this particular case. >> past associations or current associations, or do you know? >> well, we're looking at all of those items to include who his associations would have been inside the prison and since his release, as well. we're going to go as far back as necessary to learn as much about this particular suspect so we can answer those questions. >> any information now on motive, why did he do this? >> no, there's no information on motive right now. of course, for our investigators, that is certainly a key question they would like to be able to answer. they are certainly working tirelessly to provide those answers. this could be a lengthy process. we would ask folks to be very patient. they need to do their due diligence and work thoroughly, methodically, so we don't miss
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something along the way and can provide answers with some level of accuracy in the future. >> lieutenant jeff kramer with the el paso county sheriff's office there in colorado, thanks so much for that. >> you're welcome. right now, millions of americans from the midwest to east coast are slogging through snow and wondering when will it finally start to feel like spring. this is what it looked like earlier not far from here in the d.c. suburbs. people in a dozen states have been facing similar conditions. some, but maybe not for some. chad myers is standing by, but first to martin savidge in snowy pittsburgh. martin, where is spring? >> reporter: yeah, that's what a lot of people are wondering. we have rain falling now, but the temperature is going to drop, so this will turn back into snow. snow is in the forecast here the next three days, which is why people are wondering whatever happened to that thing called spring? from denver to d.c., if you're looking for signs of spring, you'll need a shovel.
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a late winter storm that marched across the midwest over the weekend, pushed eastward monday, weakening as it went, but still bringing misery to many. in most area the snows were measured in inches but some saw a foot or more. st. louis has its snowiest march day ever. in colorado, the going wasn't just tough, it was terrifying, as this wreck involving a semi and several cars on i-25 shows. farther east in dayton, ohio, the morning rush was more like the morning mush, as the snow made monday's commute even more of a downer. in pittsburgh, they forecasted up to half a foot, but rain kept the snow to about 1 to 3 inches of slush. >> wet, heavy. that was surprising. that shocked me. i didn't think it was going to be heavy. i thought it was going to be a lot lighter. >> reporter: airline passengers found slow or no going, as well. in the last 24 hours, more than
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1400 flights have been cancelled due to weather. in the south, the same system was more fury than flakes, triggering powerful thunderstorms, packing hurricane-force winds, strong enough to send this jet liner into a hangar and giant trees tumbling. the good news is, forecasters say the snow should melt away quickly, so get out and enjoy it. it won't be long before we're all complaining about how hot it is. isn't that the truth? we should point out that the weather here is going to get better eventually. opening day, a week from today for the baseball team. and the latest it's ever snowed in pittsburgh, we're a long way from that, may 3 1st. let's hope that record sticks around for a long time. >> they can keep that record. go and warm up. let's get more on the details on what the forecast is going to bring with our meteorologist chad myers in the cnn severe weather center. chad, i feel like i've talked to
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you a lot this winter and it's been a pretty wild winter, but is a storm like this so late unusual? >> not maybe unusual, because you get very heavy snow in march. there's more humidity in the air, when it reacts with cold air, it makes heavy snow that is hard to move. this is a normal march. cold air is up in canada. warm air in the deep south. last year was warmer than normal, we had over 160 tornados in last year's march. this year, only 12. so, there's something good that's happening there, i guess. but that cold air with this pattern is all the way down to florida. there will be freeze warnings all the way into northern florida tonight. this is what the year looked like last year with no snow on the ground, no snow at all. this year, covered all the way into oklahoma. some of the bigger numbers i can show you, more remarkable numbers, i think, you're going to talk about boston. last year you had 9 inches of snow all year. this year, 63.
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worcester, 39, 108. new york city, 74, 126. it snows most of the night across the east. back to you. >> i love me some snow but i'm ready to hang up my snow boats for the season. thank you. talk to you soon. president obama is urging congress to work up the political courage to pass immigration reform as soon as possible. he made the new appeal today at a ceremony where 28 immigrants took the oath to become american citizens. 13 of them are serving in the military. the president says they are examples of why the u.s. needs to encourage immigration and fix the system once and for all. >> immigration makes us stronger. it keeps us vibrant, it keeps us hungry. it keeps us prosperous. it is part of what makes this such a dynamic country. if we want to keep attracting the best and the brightest that
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the world has to offer, then we need to do a better job of welcoming them. >> bipartisan groups in the house and senate are moving closer to introducing separate immigration plans. the president says he wants to debate this beginning next month. still ahead, we're waiting for a decision on whether american amanda knox will be retried in italy on sensational murder charges. would she wind up back in jail? that's a good question. if you're a fan of the british royals, listen up. prince harry is coming to the u.s. and we have details on the trip ahead. power consumption in china, impact wool exports from new zealand, textile production in spain, and the use of medical technology in the u.s.? at t. rowe price, we understand the connections of a complex, global economy. it's just one reason over 75% of our mutual funds beat their 10-year lipper average. t. rowe price. invest with confidence. request a prospectus or summary prospectus with investment information, risks, fees and expenses
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the young american woman once dubbed "foxy knoxy" will find out if she will be tried for murder again. >> italy's highest court is going to announce its decision to throw out amanda knox's 2011 acquittal on charges she and her boyfriend killed her roommate. she's been back in the u.s. since then trying to put her
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time in jail and her sensational trial behind her. >> also trying to write a book, i hear. let's bring our senior legal analyst in for more on this. >> putting it behind her, except for the seven-figure book deal that she has. anyway, that's what you call a smooth landing. >> so, this is really sensational to think this could be happening again. i mean, the worst-case scenario here for amanda knox is, what, is there any chance she's going to go back? >> i don't think so. i think this is a theoretical exercise at this point. italy is not going to attempt, and the united states will not extradite her for this crime. now, it is true that if the italian courts order her to be retried, she may be well advised to stay out of the whole european union, because they have more reciprocity on these issues, but amanda knox is not going to trial again, she's not going back to prison. >> it's very different here in
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the legal system in the united states, and we have to be careful not to disparage the italian system, but we have double jeopardy here. and so if you're acquitted of something, you can't be tried again. >> correct. >> that doesn't appear to be quite the same in this case. >> we have -- what we have is your conviction can be reversed by an appellate court and a subsequent appellant court can reverse that and you could be tried again. it's not that different, but there's so many things in the italian system that are different. she's also been convicted of slander of the police. >> right. >> essentially, for inserting her innocence, arguing that she had been abused by the police. that's a criminal offense there. i don't think anyone here -- >> you could be locked up for slander. >> she would be sentenced for that. again, not something that would happen here. >> here you would lose a lot of money. >> in theory. >> in a practical matter, she's not going back, but in theory,
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italy could ask to have amanda knox extradited. are there laws to protect her from doing that? >> the extradition process is one of the most slow, most cumbersome, most rarely enforced forms of law. you know, there was a group of cia agents that were charged in an italian courtroom in connection with the treatment of the detainees. the united states has never made a move to extradite them. i think, you know, those laws are on the books, but in reality, there's not going to be any sort of attempt to get her out. she's home, she's going to stay home. >> so 5:00 a.m. tomorrow, i guess, eastern time, we'll be watching to see what happens next with amanda knox. >> really, really, you're going to be watching? >> i'm waking up. >> i'll be up. >> for a different supreme court issue. >> i'm glad you're not on a lie
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detector. >> thanks. all right. a woman who has endured the unthinkable, the violent death of two of her children is speaking out on cnn tonight. cherry west says her teenaged son was stabbed to death back in 2008 in new jersey. thursday in georgia, her 13-month-old boy was shot in the face and killed during a robbery attempt. two georgia teenagers face murder charges in the death. a 17 year old will be tried as an adult. another boy who was first reported to be 14, but is 15, is being tried as a yooufl. his mother says he didn't do anything wrong. >> my feelings go out to the mother and the baby and my baby. they handled this wrong. they handled this investigation wrong. the truth is going to come out. >> how do he and the 14 year old know each other? >> they don't know each other?
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>> are they in gangs? >> the baby's mother, sherry west, will be telling her story tonight at 9:00 eastern. we'll explain why what's happening on a small island affected the stocks and our retirement accounts today and the store that sold the winning ticket in the $338 million powerball lottery. >> th bring out chicken broccoli alfredo. or best-ever meatloaf. go to campbellskitchen.com for recipes, plus a valuable coupon. campbell's. it's amazing what soup can do. plus a valuable coupon. oh, hi thehey!ill. are you in town for another meeting? yup, i brought my a-team. business trips add up to family time. this is my family. this is joe. hi joe! hi there! earn a ton of extra points with the double your hhonors promotion and feel the hamptonality.
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and every day since, two years ago, the people of bp made a commitment to the gulf. we've worked hard to keep it. bp has paid over twenty-three billion dollars to help people and businesses who were affected, and to cover cleanup costs. today, the beaches and gulf are open for everyone to enjoy -- and many areas are reporting their best tourism seasons in years. we've shared what we've learned with governments and across the industry so we can all produce energy more safely. i want you to know, there's another commitment bp takes just as seriously: our commitment to america. bp supports nearly two-hundred-fifty thousand jobs
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in communities across the country. we hired three thousand people just last year. bp invests more in america than in any other country. in fact, over the last five years, no other energy company has invested more in the us than bp. we're working to fuel america for generations to come. today, our commitment to the gulf, and to america, has never been stronger.
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on wall street, investors are worried and stocks are down. joe has more on what's wrong and
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what's going on. >> kate, in a word, europe. investors worry countries face the same fate as cyprus. today, it became the fifth euro zone nation to get a bailout to drastically higher taxes, bank closures, and layoffs following in the steps of greece, ireland, portugal, and spain. the who's next syndrome rattled marketed across europe and the u.s. back off a record high which closed down about 54 points. look who's in afghanistan, secretary of state john kerry's previously unannounced visit come comes on the same day the u.s. transport control of a major detention facility to the afghans. afghan president hamid karzai says he was misinterpreted a couple weeks ago when he accused the u.s. of working with the taliban. nicolas sarkozy calls his latest legal problems unfair and unfounded. a prince judge puts sarkozy under formal investigation for breach of trust, accusing him of taking advantage of an elderly
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cosmetics heiress. and if you think you have problems because of the weather, costa rica wants to replay friday's soccer match with the u.s., which it lost during a snowstorm in colorado. their letter of complaint says the snow affected the players' physical integrity. for the record, world cup qualifying matches in europe also were affected by bad weather. >> so, i'm thinking whiners a little bit? >> yeah, yeah. i think you could call it that. that's for sure. >> i'm not one to say i can play soccer or run up and down the field even one time. >> i want a redo on the georgetown match. >> florida gulf coast? don't even talk about it. >> another story, right? a top republican says president obama must take action in syria as the war spirals. there are conflicting reports about chemical weapons used. chairman mike rogers joins us coming up next. contrary to popular belief,
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come back to the u.s., despite a scandal during his last visit. and no one predicted they'd go this far in the ncaa at all. in fact, a lot of people never heard of him. >> wolf blitzer is off, i'm joe john. >> i'm kate baldwin. you're in "the situation room." right now, the violence in syria is getting so bad that the united nations is pulling its international staffers out of the country for a while. there was shelling right near the hotel where they live. >> here in the u.s., the debate is raging how to respond over allegations of chemical weapons being used in syria and what it means for opposition forces. let's bring in gael dougherty for more on this. hi, gael. >> hey, kate. the syrian opposition is running into more problems in its attempts to unity. the administration is downplaying that, but that is just fuelling calls for the u.s. to do more to help.
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confusing reports persist that chemical weapons of some kind have been used in syria. president obama says that would be a red line. but administration critics charge that red line is turning pink. >> the president said this is a hard decision, if i go in, it might be wrong, if i go in, it might be wrong. >> no one wants american boots on the ground, but rogers and others want the obama administration to train and equip syrian opposition fighters it trusts. and "the new york times" reports the cia is stepping up efforts to help saudi arabia, qatar, and turkey get weapons to the opposition. but its president, who stood side by side with secretary of state john kerry just three
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weeks ago abruptly resigned. >> it's not about one person. it's about president assad, it's about a regime that is killing its own people. it's about an opposition that is bigger than one person, and that opposition will continue. >> and the split between the opposition civilian leaders and its fighters is growing. the rebels rejecting a new provisional prime minister. one expert on syria says the country now is headed for a complete meltdown if the obama administration doesn't stop hedging its bets. >> we waited, it didn't get any better. president assad is not stepping aside, and the opposition is becoming more extremist, because they are the ones receiving the political support and the arms. >> ironically, this lack of unity among the opposition is only reenforcing the administration's belief that it should be cautious in what kind of help and assistance it
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provides the opposition. kate? >> jill dougherty, thanks so much, jill. you heard in jill's piece, mike rogers. the michigan republican is joining me live from lansing, michigan, for more on this. mr. chairman, thanks so much for taking the time. >> thanks, kate, great to hear you. >> this is such an important issue, specifically on the issue of chemical weapons. there's been a lot of back and forth over the last week. u.s. officials, they say that their intelligence is telling them at the moment that they've indicated chemical weapons have been used recently by the regime, but you continue to disagree. and you said it was abundantly clear, in your view, that the red line that president obama has set has been crossed in terms of chemical weapons. what's the discrepancy? >> well, if you look at the body of intelligence, kate, over the last two years, it is the evidence is mounting, and so when the president said august 20th of last year, that if they were going to move chemical
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weapons or use them, that would change his calculus, and here's the problem that presents itself now, i think, for the president of the united states and our national security moving forward, syria is deteriorating badly. we have a growing and mounting amount of evidence that says chemical weapons were used at least at some point by the assad regime in some quantity. and so we have 70,000 dead. it's deteriorating, it's now spilling over by way of refugees into jordan and turkey and now you have al qaeda elements, the front knocking on the door on the southern area near israel. this is a catastrophe if we let this deteriorate without some u.s. leadership rallying the opposition and regaining the trust with our arab league allies. all of that has to happen and needs to happen soon, because there's a real consequence, kate, if the chemical weapons fall into the wrong hands or the conventional weapons fall into
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the wrong hands. you can imagine what kind of trouble across the middle east, southern europe, across northern africa. this has huge consequences. >> it does have huge consequences. >> doing nothing isn't going to work. >> doing nothing may not work, but it is important, i want to clarify on this point, this red line, the use of chemical weapons. the president has said that that is his red line if they do use chemical weapons. you've said you think it's clear they've already crossed the red line. are you suggesting the white house is lying on this issue or is dragging its feet for some reason? >> i would never say the white house is lying. intelligence is never as clear as we would all like it to be, but you can't look at the most recent incident, about every week the opposition has been claiming that there's use of chemical weapons, so there's lots of instances you need to mitigate and say i don't think that happened. if you look at the total of evidence over the last two years and the evidence is mounting, i
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look at this as an old fbi agent, so when you look at all the evidence, how it's mounting, i believe after looking at all of that evidence, kate, over the last two years they have configured chemical weapons in a position to use them, they have shown intent to use them, and i believe a small quantity, at least a small quantity of chemical weapons has been used. it shouldn't take chemical weapon usage to get the united states to stop a humanitarian crisis of this epic proportion that has national security implications for the united states. i get it's a hard decision. president said that when he went to the middle east, but this is dangerous if we don't get this right. and think of this, the opposition told the united states secretary of state they weren't interested in a meeting. that tells you how far our credibility has fallen with people on the ground doing the fighting. our arab league partners, who i
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meet with constantly, are frustrated. i believe there's a diplomatic solution, but you can't have that unless you gain the credibility of the opposition and our arab league allies, and then you can move to a position of negotiation. that's the reason they rejected the prime minister. they are rejecting the political fight, they being the opposition, because it is so confusing to them. they are engaged on the fight on the ground, they don't think anyone is helping them. >> also confusing on the part of the u.s. and its allies on who they are actually dealing with. i mean, you're talking about the u.s. is dangerous in its indecision, but isn't it so important that they get all the facts, we get all the facts right first before you move in on the issue of chemical weapons and also on the issue of who exactly you're dealing with in terms of the rebels, i.e., look what happened in iraq. >> oh, but, you know, clearly this is different. you have 70,000 dead. they've used some 100 skud missiles. even the syrian government
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acknowledges they have chemical weapons. as a matter of fact, in this last event, they were both exchanging accusations about who used chemical weapon. this is a very different picture. again, there's a step further in this. that would create a catastrophic humanitarian event that would be a stain on our national character if we had the capability to stop it and didn't. now you have the notion of our own national security being threatened by all of these chemical weapons. you have thousands now of al qaeda fighters joining the fight here and hezbollah. you have chemical weapons at stake and veconventional weapon at stake. we're one of the few nations with the capability to train people. it's about small groups, special capabilities, so that you leverage our credibility so we can get a diplomatic solution and secure those weapon systems.
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that's a good day for america, but you have to make the decision to move forward. again, i think indecision here at this point, given the way we see what's happening on the ground, is dangerous for our national security. >> worth pointing out again, some 70,000 people have been killed as this fight has continued on. chairman rogers, great to see you, thank you so much. we'll continue talking about this very important issue. >> thanks, kate, and welcome back. the last time prince harry visited the u.s., he ended up needing to explain some scandalous nude pictures taken in las vegas. well, he's just scheduled another u.s. visit. find out where he is and isn't going. coming up next. acceler-rental. at a hertz expressrent kiosk, you can rent a car without a reservation... and without a line. now that's a fast car. it's just another way you'll be traveling at the speed of hertz.
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some americans, i'd argue many americans, just can't get enough of the british royals. >> you know who you are, so get out your calendars. prince harry is -- yeah, right. prince harry is coming to america between may 9th and the 15th with stops here in washington, d.c., also in new york, new jersey, connecticut, and colorado. cnn's royal correspondent, max foster, joins us from london now. we remember the last time harry was here, it sort of turned into a scandal. what are you expecting this time? >> reporter: you could say that. he went to vegas, took all his clothes off, photos, published everywhere. he got angry about it, invasion of privacy, he said. not much sympathy for him in many parts of the world. we're told he's going to be on best behavior, but he does start off where you are in d.c. and he's going to be traveling around the u.s., mainly the east coast. some of the main things he'll be doing, the highlights, if you'd
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like, going to arlington national cemetery, laying a wreath there. the warrior games, the sort of games for injured servicemen. he's interested in war veterans, supporting them and their cause. that's going to be a big part of this trip. also going to an area of new jersey affected by hurricane sandy and glamorous events, as well. meeting politicians and high-profile in washington. maybe he'll meet you, as well. >> absolutely. do you think he'll be meeting president obama, that's, obviously, the key question when you come to washington, d.c. >> they left that open, actually. they said there is an opening for that, but it's going to be led by the white house and they haven't got confirmation from them. he's keen to meet the obamas and senior politicians, but we'll wait to see. there is that option there if the obamas want to take it up. >> stay tuned and watch the schedule. any updates on kate's baby, very
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important. >> she's still pregnant. i can say that. and all the talk is about whether it's a boy or a girl and she was out the other day saying she wanted a boy and william wanted a girl. that's as close as we've got. palace saying they haven't been told yet, but there is a frenzy about it and it's due in july and all sorts of media preparing for that event. the world seems very interested, so the world's eyes in july on london, but in may the royal watchers will be watching where you are. >> max foster, thanks so much for that, and we'll be watching you. big news on the baby bump in london, but the biggest mystery here in this country today is coming up next, just who is the lucky winner of the powerball lottery and the nation's newest multimillionaire. very logical thinker. (laughs) i'm telling you right now, the girl back at home would absolutely not have taken a zip line in the jungle. (screams)
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now to the mystery of the new multimillionaire. >> we know that someone bought a winning powerball ticket in new jersey worth $338 million, but so far no one's claimed the jackpot from saturday night's drawing. >> we're at the new jersey liquor store where the ticket was sold. most importantly, welcome to "the situation room," pamela, and also tell us what's the latest on the ticket. >> reporter: thank you. well, kate, the town of passaic has been buzzing all day long after we learned that the fourth largest powerball winner on record bought the winning ticket right behind me at eagle liquors. speculation has been swirling about who that winner is, and
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the mystery may be solved. >> all right, now, for tonight's winning powerball number, remember, match this number and you're always a winner. tonight it is 31. >> reporter: there is one lucky winner of the $338 million powerball jackpot, but who that is remains a mystery. >> saying is it you or is it you, you sure it wasn't you? it's almost like a cat and mouse game. everybody, you know, everybody coming together, smiling, trying to figure out who it is. >> reporter: whoever it is bought the winning ticket here at eagle liquors in passaic, new jersey. could it be this man? pedro cassada caused a frenzy at the store where the winning ticket was sold. the father of five who lives in the largely latino community of passaic claims he hit the jackpot, but he didn't have the ticket with him to prove it. as the media mob followed him, he ran off. >> we sell a lot of tickets. >> reporter: eagle liquors owners have sold winning tickets
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before, but never a jackpot as big as this. >> this one's the biggest ever. like a dream ticket, you want to sell it as a store owner, and we did that. >> reporter: with no powerball winner in more than a month, the jackpot grew to the fourth largest in history leading up to saturday night's drawing, when the multimillion dollar winner does step bright spotlight. >> there's no anonymity for any winner in new jersey at this time. winner information is public information. >> winning the lottery, however, doesn't always mean a grand future. last year in illinois after winning a scratchoff game, this man was found dead, killed by cyanide poisoning according to authorities. >> it's like being shot out of a cannon when lottery winner told me it is like being shot out of a cannon from a quite et town to the middle of time square and not being able to go home again. >> a spokeswoman for the new jersey lottery says officials
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are aware of this man but as of now, he has not come forward to claim the prize. and the owner of eagle liquors tells cnn that he actually did bring his ticket in earlier today for verification and right here this is the receipt of the winning ticket verification given to us by the owner of eagle liquors. we have reached out to the new jersey lottery commission. so far the commission is saying that a ticket has been verified but it is staying tight lipped about who the winner is. so we're still waiting for that information. back to you. >> so what are we waiting for next? a new press conference? are we going to see him walk back in the store again? we have to find out who this winner is. >> that's right. i mean there are still a lot of unanswered questions here. because, of course, we don't have confirmation that it is pedro caseda according to the new jersey lottery commission. i think the next step is he
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would come forward to the lottery commission, presumably tomorrow with the winning ticket, claim his prize and from there press conference and promotions and so forth will follow. >> and his whole life or whoever's life it is will be changed forever. you can definitely say that. pamela brown, thank you. welcome again. >> that's for certain. thank you. more than 60 years since the start of the korea war there are growing worries about a new military conflict. cnn's erin burnett is going "outfront" on this story at the top of the hour. what are you looking at? >> we're going to be looking at what the u.s. government is doing. a new military preparedness plan that could really be dramatically lowering the bar for what it would take for the u.s. to be going to war. plus one family's very personal story on gay marriage. completely tearing this family apart. it is an incredible story. and our essay, why has america not gotten a panda in ten years and canada got two today? incredible story. >> did i hear you say panda?
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like a panda bear? >> yep. they got two bears today in canada. and we haven't gotten a new bear in ten years from china. >> what's wrong with us? i really want to know the answer to this question now, erin. all right. we'll be watching at the top of the hour. thanks so much. the whole country is buzzing about a big sports story today. we're taking you to the campus of the number 15 seed that just made it to the sweet 16 for the very first time. if the next bi, isn't a thing at all? it's lots of things. all waking up. connecting to the global phenomenon we call the internet of everything. ♪ it's going to be amazing. and exciting. and maybe, most remarkably, not that far away. we're going to wake the world up. and watch, with eyes wide, as it gets to work. cisco. tomorrow starts here.
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tell your doctors you are taking xarelto® before any planned medical or dental procedures. before starting xarelto®, tell your doctor about any conditions, such as kidney, liver or bleeding problems. ready to change your routine? ask your doctor about once-a-day xarelto®. for more information including cost support options, call 1-888-xarelto or visit goxarelto.com. they're the one school no one predicted they would go this far. florida gulf coast entered the tournament after beating san diego state and georgetown over the weekend. if you're among those asking florida gulf coast who? who is that? who is that? then the story is just for you. >> yeah, but not for me. the university is located on the
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ft. myers -- on the state's southwest coast, unlikely setting for a college basketball cinderella story. george howe is there. i know they're whooping it up now. >> reporter: you know, joe, they're just wrapping up a pep rally here. we're all just learning about this school. for instance this is the funny thing. when you look out here, you would never imagine, you would never guess this university is really surrounded by what is more of a retirement community. for the mi serz not the college down. look, there are a lot students excited about what is happening. really a mix of all ages as people are excited to see this team make a big name for this school that was otherwise little known. a 15 seeded team in the ncaa basketball tournament advancing to the sweet 16, they defied the odds. but even with all the media hype, cameras rolling, these players still keep it loose on the court at a school most of the country had noefr